7 PM at The Grey Gull
by SYuuri
Summary: Nathan and Duke prove that sitting together and being civil towards each other without doing any damage is not impossible. Missing moment from 01x12 – Resurfacing.


**7.00 PM at The Grey Gull**

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**Disclaimer: Definitely not mine. **

**:: For some reasons, the love-hate 'friendship' between Nathan and Duke is so much fun to watch.  
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"And here is the Chef's Choice of the Day!" Duke exclaimed and put a still steaming plate on the table. "Especially imported from a place that I'd bet my boat you never ever heard of."

Nathan looked down at the plate and snorted. It wasn't fish or shrimp or anything that looked remotely close to seafood. "Wait, where am I once again? I thought this was the Grey Gull."

"This is the Grey Gull _and_ I own the place. I can cook whatever I want, so sorry if it doesn't suit your taste buds." Duke wiped his hands together in excitement; just a couple of hours ago he had thought that the last thing he ate would be that cold, lumpy egg sandwich that had stayed in his mini fridge for two days. God, if there was one, was certainly good. "I grabbed you some fork and knife but damn, I forgot the plate." He smacked his forehead for a more dramatic effect.

"Sure you did," Nathan rolled his eyes, hesitantly eyeing the delectable dish in front of Duke. It sure smelled mouth-watering. But still. "Like you would ever forget that I don't really dig lamb."

Duke leaned back and absently rubbed his goatee with a lone bony finger. "Am I really that transparent?" Nathan's answer was only a lazy shrug. "How could I forget that catastrophe? Second grade and somebody was bawling hysterically when they're going to kill that lamb. The lamb was cute and fluffy, alright, but well, how come you're going to have some lamb chops if you don't, well, chop the lamb?"

Nathan leaned over, his hold on his bottle tightening to spare Duke being drenched in the alcoholic liquid. "For your information, I wasn't 'bawling hysterically' as you so enthusiastically claimed. It was a pretty traumatizing experience for an eight year old."

"Audrey told me how you turned into a mush around babies," Duke went on, uncaring of Nathan's change of mood. He started digging into his dinner - sweet and sour barbecued lamb. "I don't think your old man would approve, so it's a good thing that you two don't exactly get along well together, isn't it? The damage has been done, what's one more reason would do?"

Nathan stared at him for a few moments, tongue planted firmly in cheek. The offensive words were accompanied by Duke's trademark wide shit-eating grin he had come to hate a million years ago. Coming from everybody else, it would sting a bit, but Duke was just being Duke. It would have freaked him out if he had acted otherwise. "You know what, I'll give you 20 grands if you're willing to shut your mouth." He offered, giving the dark blue duffel bag near his feet a light kick.

"Nah, that would give you excuses to come to my boat and arrest me. You can't handle the temptation."

"Like you can't handle the competition?"

"Something like that." Duke smiled and held their gazes before going back to his food. Aside from the whistle of the breeze as it blew gently against the sea, everything was silent. Random passersby that saw them sitting there together wouldn't even think that they're long-time nemesis, but simply two long-time buddies that was in the middle of catching up and unwinding after yet another long day, even for Haven standard. "Do you think I'm one of those people?"

Nathan turned his head from the water to look at him, his forehead creasing a bit. "What do you mean?"

"You know, the gifted. The cursed. The troubled. Whatever suits you best."

Nathan's face remained stoic and Duke could almost see the wheel inside his head started to roll. After a brief moment, the corner of Nathan's lips lifted up into a smirk. He took a swig his beer and pointed the bottle at him. "Would be great if you are. I will have reasons to come to your boat, arrest you _and_ probably plant a bullet in your head."

Grinning inwardly, Duke placed one hand over his heart with a stunned, wounded expression too over-the-top for anybody, let alone Nathan, to take the sentiment seriously. "I have _never_ felt so special. And here I thought you're going to say that me being unreliable," Duke flicked one finger. "Dishonest and a general pain in the butt," He wiggled three fingers to clench his points. "Would be reasons enough for me to fall into The Special Ones category."

"Ass," Nathan corrected, his hands were stacking the cards and shuffling them just to make himself busy. "You're a general pain in the ass."

"I never say that word," Duke shook his head, nibbling at a carrot. "Ask Audrey if you don't believe me."

At the mention of Audrey's name, Nathan's face visibly darkened. He looked almost distraught and well, troubled, literally, but Duke knew better than trying to get him talking. The former FBI agent from Ohio was surely a breath of fresh air in this… unique, for lack of a better word, small town. It would be strange if Nathan, or anybody, or himself for that matter, didn't feel _something_ for the lively blonde.

"Well, you don't happen to have a certain tattoo that I should know of, do you, Wournos?"

"Don't worry, you'll be the last person to know if I do." Nathan's answer was dripping with teasing sarcasm. Would the time ever come that they'd be able to converse like two normal people? As normal as they could be anyway, being Haven's _angels_. Duke supposed it wouldn't happen anytime soon, but this was definitely an improvement.

The evening started to set in and slowly but surely the town began to light up, each house one by one. The wind was blowing harder and the salty, consoling smell of the sea grew even thicker in the air. Duke put down his fork and lifted his beer; it was warm now but he had no complaints.

"For today's friendsh-," He paused, smiling. "For today's truce."

Nathan looked amused and for a split second Duke thought the chief's son would ignore his toast.

He was wrong.

"For _today_'s truce."

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**First Haven fic! Reviews are Rosemary's cupcakes :)**


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